“…we are looking to determine in a scientific way, if someone comes to a doctor with the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease, whether the doctor can write on a prescription pad, ‘Exercise, three times a week.'”

Meet the EXERT Study Research Team at the Yale Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in this New Haven Register article about the clinical trial

“There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but a new nationwide study, involving the Yale School of Medicine and the YMCAs in Milford and Fairfield, is investigating whether simple exercise can slow the inevitable onset of symptoms.”

From the NY Times: More evidence that exercise may help older folks with early memory loss

For some people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, frequent, brisk walks may help to bolster physical abilities and slow memory loss, according to one of the first studies of physical activity as an experimental treatment for dementia.

EXERT Study investigator Sid O’Bryant, MD, from the University of North Texas Health Sciences in Fort Worth, writes about an RX for exercise in the Star-Telegram

As an Alzheimer’s disease researcher at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth, I know that regular exercise is important, not just for weight control and cardiovascular health, but also for brain health.

A Better Treatment for Alzheimer's: Exercise

Exercise makes changes in the brain that could potentially help people with memory loss. “Regular aerobic exercise could be a fountain of youth for the brain,” said Laura Baker of the Wake Forest School of Medicine.

Exercise and Alzheimer's Disease Research

Recent studies have revealed new understanding of age-related brain changes, as well as lifestyle factors related to sleep, exercise, and nutrition that may delay or prevent these changes. Carl Cotman discusses Alzheimer’s research regarding exercise as the number one modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Exercise May Buffer Symptoms of Early Alzheimer's

Regular exercise may be the best medicine for seniors facing the onset of dementia, according to three new clinical trials. Physical activity improved mood, memory and ability to think for participants in all three studies.

How Exercise Helps Curbs Alzheimer's Symptoms

To Fend Off Dementia, Run--or Dance, Bike, Power-Walk or Step

Dementia researchers meeting in Washington, D.C. got some unexpectedly good news on the benefits of a therapy that is readily available, inexpensive to deliver and free of unwanted side effects. It’s aerobic exercise.

Exercise May Be the Best Weapon Against Alzheimer’s

Can Exercise Slow the Progression of Alzheimer’s Pathology?

Evidence for the cognitive benefits of exercise keeps growing, but researchers are still not sure how it helps the brain. At the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2015, held July 18-23 in Washington, D.C., several speakers presented imaging data that addressed this question.

Exercising Four Times a Week Could Stop Dementia

Exercising four times a week could reverse the early stages of dementia, according to the dramatic results of a new study. People with mild cognitive impairment – often the first stages of dementia – showed significant increase in brain size when they underwent a six-month exercise programme.

The EXERT Study is taking place at 13 academic medical centers and specialty clinics across the US. Find a location near you.
The EXERT Study represents a public-private partnership comprised of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study at the University of California, San Diego, the Y-USA, Wake Forest University, the University of California, Irvine, and 12 additional academic medical centers specializing in Alzheimer’s Disease research. The EXERT Study is funded by the National Institute on Aging.